USF Athletics

Bull Speed Ahead Podcast: Episode 12

April 26, 2019

TAMPA, APRIL 26, 2019 – USF Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly sits down with USF radio host Darek Sharp to talk about numerous notable program topics during Kelly's 12th Bull Speed Ahead podcast.

• FOOTBALL ADDS BOISE STATE SERIES TO FUTURE SCHEDULES: Kelly talks about USF's new agreement with Boise State University to play a home-and-home football series starting in 2025. The Bulls and Broncos will meet for the first time on Aug. 30, 2025 in Raymond James Stadium. USF will travel to Boise, Idaho on Sept. 11, 2027 for a contest on the famous blue turf of Albertsons Stadium (36,387). Learn more HERE.
• USF FOOTBALL ALUMNI REUNION: Kelly shares his thoughts on the USF Football Alumni Reunion that took place the weekend of the USF Spring Game. More than 70 Bulls who helped lay the foundation for the program had a blast reconnecting during the banquet inside the Lee Roy Selmon Athletics Center before the group watched the current Bulls compete at Corbett Stadium the next day. Read all about the USF Football Alumni Reunion HERE.
• MEN'S TENNIS WINS CONFERENCE TITLE: Kelly commends head coach Ashley Fisher's men's tennis team that qualified for the NCAA tournament in thrilling fashion by rallying past top-seeded rival UCF in the American Athletic Conference Championship title match in Orlando on April 21. USF has won five conference tournament titles since joining The American. The women's team under coach Cristina Moros also reached their four conference tournament final since joining The American.
• BULLS' MEMORABLE GOLF SEASONS: Kelly looks back at The American Men's Golf Championship that USF hosted April 21-23 at Innisbrook Golf Resort. USF's streak of consecutive conference tournament titles ended at four, but the Bulls are expected to be headed to NCAA Regionals for the seventh straight season. The NCAA Division I Men's Golf Selection Show is set for Wednesday, May 1 at 9 p.m. (TV: Golf Channel). Kelly also talks about "The Uprising" of the USF women's golf program led by head coach Erika Brennan and assistant coach Dalton Stevens. Ramya Meenakshisundaram was rewarded for her fantastic freshman season by being named to the 2019 American Athletic All-Conference Women's Golf Team.
• SOFTBALL: Kelly proudly talks about the stellar USF softball season and recent news about star sophomore right-hander Georgina Corrick becoming one of only 26 finalists for the USA Softball Player of the Year award. Corrick's efforts have helped keep head coach Ken Eriksen's Bulls (35-15, 13-2 in AAC) to reach first place in the league standings heading into the final home series of the regular season. The Bulls will host Memphis on Friday (4:30 p.m.) and Saturday (4 p.m., Bark With the Bulls Day) before the important Senior Day game that begins 11 a.m. Sunday at USF Softball Stadium. USF has completed four straight conference series sweeps heading into this weekend's action.
• SPRING COMMENCEMENT SET FOR NEXT WEEK: Kelly looks ahead to USF's spring commencement ceremonies that are set for Thursday, May 2 – Saturday, May 4 at the Yuengling Center. USF Athletics will honor approximately 40 student-athletes who are scheduled to receive their degrees, including Kitija Laksa (women's basketball), Alberto Barroso-Campos (men's tennis), Ana Roman Dominguez (women's tennis), David Bell (track & field) as well as Marcus Norman and Kirk Livingtsone among 11 football players.
• STAFF KICKBALL TOURNAMENT: Kelly previews the USF Athletics staff kickball tournament that will take place Monday, April 29 on campus. Kelly is motivated to show the athletic department his skills and noted these will be his first kickball games "since fourth grade."
• CONFERENCE MEETINGS NEXT WEEK: Kelly talks about his plans to attend the annual American Athletic Conference meetings that will take place over a two-day period next week in Arizona. The conference's football coaches also will be attending the meetings that will include the topic of The American and ESPN's 12-year media rights extension.
• KELLY INTERVIEWS LIBADISOS: Kelly spends the final portion of his podcast interviewing Dr. Jodie Libadisos, USF's Associate Director of Athletics for Student-Athlete Enhancement who oversees all areas within the Enhancing U and Selmon Mentoring Institute. Also USF's Varsity Club Director, Libadisos talks about her tenure at USF Athletics, her path back to the Tampa Bay area and lets listeners know all about her department. Libadisos also shares her thoughts on USF Athletics' popular Stampede of Champions awards show event that celebrates memorable accomplishments by the Bulls' student-athletes, coaches and administration. Read about the seventh annual Stampede of Champions that took place Wednesday night at the Yuengling Center HERE.

 
About USF Athletics
USF Athletics sponsors 19 varsity men's and women's teams that compete in 11 different sports, 18 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls' athletic program began in 1965 and is in its 53^rd season in 2018-19. Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls have claimed 17 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, including at least three in each of the last three seasons. Nine USF programs reached national post-season competition in the 2017-18 season and six were ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The Bulls posted a combined annual grade-point average over 3.0 for the third straight year in 2017-18 and have posted a program record eight straight semesters with a combined GPA over 3.0. USF has seen more than 200 student-athletes earn their degree in the last two years.